The Tortoise and the Eagle

There was a Tortoise who was once lazily basking
in the sun, complained to the sea-birds of her
hard fate, that no one would teach her to fly.

An Eagle, flying near, heard her lamentation and
demanded what reward she would give him if he
would take her aloft and float her in the air.

"I will give you," she said, "all the riches
of the Red Sea."

"I will teach you to fly then," said the Eagle;
and taking her up in his talons he carried her
almost to the clouds suddenly he let her go, and
she fell on a lofty mountain, dashing her shell
to pieces.

The Tortoise exclaimed in the moment of death:
"I have deserved my present fate; for what had I
to do with wings and clouds, who can with
difficulty move about on the earth?'